Jul 06, 2012 at 6:36pm

Andy Murray showed incredible resolve to get the better of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and become the first British man in 74 years to reach the Wimbledon final.

The 25-year-old took a step that no compatriots had managed in 11 attempts since Bunny Austin in 1938.

He overwhelmed Tsonga 6-3 6-4 3-6 7-5 in two hours 47 minutes on Centre Court and faces 16-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in Sunday's showpiece.

Fred Perry was the last British man to lift a major singles title in 1936.

Perry triumphed at Wimbledon and the US Open that season, and Murray will be desperate to emulate the Englishman's achievement.

It is his fourth Grand Slam final but the first at a venue where Federer is bidding for a record-equalling seventh crown.

While the Swiss legend presents formidable opposition, Murray will be confident of fulfilling the hopes of a nation after dispatching Tsonga.

"I feel a bit of relief, excitement, it's tough to explain," the Scot told BBC Sport. "It was such a close match in the end, both of us had chances.

"I started well, had one loose game on my serve at the beginning of the third set and he came back into it.

"It was tough to lose that set - I tried to stay calm but it's not easy. There's a lot of pressure when you're on the court, but you've just got to focus.

"I did well to hang in because he started to play really well. He had break points at 4-4 [in the fourth set] and I just managed to hang tough."

It was a deserved victory that ended a run of three straight semi-final defeats at the All England Club, yet one that many expected.

Having lost to Andy Roddick in 2009 and Rafael Nadal in 2010 and 2011, Murray knew this was probably his best chance of reaching the final.

He had won five of their six previous meetings, including a Wimbledon quarter-final in 2009 and last year's championship match at Queen's Club.

Tsonga is capable of overpowering anyone, but he was given few chances in the first two sets as Murray played some of his very best tennis.



Source: BBC